You may have noticed an alarming trend on this self-described booklover's blog: the same book listed as what I'm reading for months. Sad but true, "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell languished on my bedside table for far too long. I read the first chapter, "The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing," back in at least December and found it mildly interesting but not really my thing. I glanced quickly at the second chapter, "Letters from Zedelghem," and wasn't enthusiastic about devouring the book. (Each chapter ends unfinished.) I don't do well reading journals and letters for some reason; I just don't find them as compelling as dialog and straightforward plot development. So the poor book sat there until after the New Year. I finally got into "Letters" and was more entertained, certainly impressed with Mitchell's ability to create such different, convincing voices. Chapter three, "Half Lives," completely sucked me in, but I was alarmed when the chapter cut off right after a character's death. Wait, I was really interested! What happened next?! How annoying! I flipped to the next chapter, "The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish," and wasn't sure if I wanted to start right in. I kept flipping. Chapter five, "An Orison of Sonmi-451." Chapter six, "Sloosha's Crossin' An' Ev'rythin' After." Chapter seven, "Orison of Sonmi-451." Hold on, they repeat?! This book is a wonderful double helix, twisting back on itself and continuing the interrupted stories?! God bless the postmodernists and they're unconventional novel forms! If only I'd noticed this right away, I would've gobbled it up!
Needless to say, I now adore this book. Each chapter flirts with the earlier ones, touching on recurring themes and sights, even people. Mitchell is truly amazing with characterization and absolutely master's each genre. He's also a hell of a lot better than Joyce at writing in dialect with invented words, proving a point, and still actually being entertaining and LEGIBLE. (Bad English major!) I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of postmodernism or even just fabulous fiction. Smitty, give it a try. A., you'd love it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Welcome to my odditorium, a collection of curiosities made up of snippets about my life and occasional machinations on deeper subjects.
3 comments:
I got his first book a few months ago. Ghostwritten. I was really surprised to see that he has some of the same characters in that book as well, though it is an entirely different book and isn't meet to be the same series. I like an author with planning.
I'm glad you enjoyed Cloud Atlas.
---Mrs Dunce
Cloud Atlas was one of my favorite books I read last year (other contenders Sinclair's London Orbital, and Vollmann's The Ice-shirt).
I was similarly uninterested by the beginning chapter (found myself comparing it somewhat unfavorably to things like Barth's Sot-Weed Factor and Pynchon's Mason & Dixon [erm, both perhaps guilty of sustantial deviation from "LEGIBLE"]) but some unimpeachable recommendations convinced me to read on.
Quite glad I did; I was duly impressed. Glad to see you enjoyed it.
erm, I meant "substantial". My bee is sticking.
--Dunce
Post a Comment